Various kinds of items from electronic components to tile can be aligned in a pattern to construct various articles useful in the home or in a retail or industrial environment. One such item is tiles. Tiles can be produced by baking clay. A ceramic tile is a very common tile used for floors and bathroom walls. Other kinds of tiles include but are not limited to: vinyl tiles, plastic tiles, stone tiles, bricks, roof shingles, roof panels, wall panels, wall siding, tiles composed of two or more different materials, etc. The individual tiles can vary in size, shape, weight, geometrical form, thickness, composition, etc. The individual tiles can be plain in appearance or contain a unique texture, pattern or surface geometry. It is also possible to paint or decorate individual tiles, if desired. Many tiles are square in shape and can vary in dimensions from a 1 inch square up to about 16 inch squares. For some retail and industrial applications, the tiles can be larger, say having 20 inch squares or even 24 inch squares. Rectangular shape tile are also prevalent and can vary in dimensions. For example, a rectangular tile used in a residential bathroom could be 6 inches by 10 inches. Tiles having other geometrical shape are not as common but do exist. For example, a triangular shaped tile can be used to form a decorative border.
Tiles are usually installed manually, one at a time, by a skilled craftsman, such as a mason. The underlying surface can vary but is usually a concrete floor for retail and industrial buildings, and some type of composite board, green board, etc. positioned over plywood in residential construction. Usually, the underlying surface is poured or constructed so as to be essentially flat and planar. Alternatively, especially in forming the floor of a bathroom shower, the underlying surface is tapered so that water from the shower head will flow down and toward a floor drain. The underlying surface is then covered or treated with a bonding material which will allow each tile to securely bond to the underlying surface. For example, the underlying surface can have an adhesive, glue, cement, mortar, etc. applied to it. This bonding material is usually applied evenly so as to completely cover the underlying surface. This bonding material is also applied manually.
In addition to tiles, a variety of other items can be assembled to construct computer boards, art work, panels, decorative panels for lining interior or exterior surfaces, subassemblies, electrical harnesses, etc.
It has been recognized that a machine capable of aligning items in a pattern could shorten the time and reduce the cost to construct the assembly or to install panels, such as a tile floor. A machine capable of aligning items would be very useful in a number of different applications including but not limited to: installing a tile floor in a large box store that is being constructed, in a large hotel lobby, in the foyer of a convention center, or in a large rectangular or square shaped showroom for automobiles. In addition, since skilled craftsmen demand high wages and many are union workers, by reducing the number of people needed to align various items, such as to install a tile floor, one can certainly reduce the overall cost. Furthermore, lifting, placing and positioning individual items, for example, ceramic tiles over an extended period of time can cause a craftsman to experience muscle soreness, back problems, knee issues and fatigue. By having a machine do the heavy lifting placing and positioning, one can extend the useful life of the skilled craftsman.
Now a machine has been invented which is capable of aligning items in a pattern as well as a method of using the machine.